


Fine Line

by kimipsuls



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tokyo Ghoul, Angst, F/F, Minor Character Death, Violence, characters/ships added as we go, hyunjin vc: lets get this bread, im takin a lot of liberties with this au OK, kinda planned but also a bit unpredictable lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:01:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22829143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimipsuls/pseuds/kimipsuls
Summary: Jungeun, along with everyone in their uni, has always known Jinsoul to be perfect in every way. Really, Jinsoul is a dream. So, when Jungeun finds Jinsoul devouring a corpse, she realizes Jinsoul is more dangerous than anyone ever thought.orThe loosely Tokyo Ghoul inspired fic no one asked for.
Relationships: Jo Haseul/Viian Wong | ViVi, Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul/Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip
Comments: 8
Kudos: 104





	Fine Line

**Author's Note:**

> I'LL SAY IT NOW....I haven't written fics in years so I'm kinda wonky with it right now, hopefully I'll get whatever groove I used to have for it back as this all progresses!
> 
> You can find me on twitter @kimipsuls!

“Jungeun, you’re staring again,” Haseul chides lowly, gaze still trained down on the laptop in front of her, glasses slowly sliding down the bridge of her nose. “At this rate, she’s gonna think you’re a weirdo and get a restraining order against you before you can even  _ think  _ about asking her out. I would.”

Jungeun flinches in her seat, brows raising comically, the scowl on her face doing very little to make Haseul feel threatened with how red her cheeks were already getting. “ _ Don’t say that _ .” Jungeun leans in, upper body hovering across their table slightly as she gets closer, her voice a harsh, hushed whisper. “I wasn’t staring at her, I was just—”

“ _ Zoning out _ ?” Haseul stops typing for a moment, hands lifting as she leaned back in her chair so the younger could see her make quotation marks, her tone mocking. For the first time that hour, Haseul finally looks up from her laptop screen, gaze set on Jungeun. “You know, you’ve been doing that an awful lot since she got here.”

Jungeun’s frown only deepens, but she keeps quiet.

Haseul only continues to stare expectantly, waiting to see if she’ll get a response before shrugging lightly, forgoing the topic and turning her attention back to the report waiting to be finished on her laptop, a hand reaching out to grasp the coffee cup she’d ordered when the two of them first entered the cafe. It had to have been cold by now, the thought making Jungeun shudder.

Happy that the subject had been dropped, Jungeun lets her eyes wander again, mind tuning out unnecessary distractions despite the notes laying open in front of her, begging to be finished before her morning class the next day— the gentle pitter-patter of rain falling outside of the coffee shop, espresso machines whirring lightly with each new order employees at the front counter took, Haseul’s fingers clicking away at her computer as she got back to writing, the gentle murmur of different conversations happening around her, trapped in their own little bubbles.

Against her better judgment, Jungeun takes in long, jet black hair, a sharp jawline, and wide, soft eyes focused on the phone in her hands. Resting her chin in her palm, arm now perched on her and Haseuls table, Jungeun feels herself getting blatantly lost in a woman she’s never actually talked to before.

It’s nothing uncommon, however. Not when it came to Jung Jinsoul.

No, from the very moment Jinsoul had stepped onto their college campus that year, it seemed every person who crossed paths with her became immediately enamored. If the rumors were true, Jinsoul was a dream given physical form, an angel sent to flourish amongst lackluster gravel— she was a sweetheart, always willing to help when asked, kind to everyone she talked with, academically adept and physically accomplished.

Naturally, Jungeun’s interest had peaked the moment she’d first seen the older woman.

Without thinking, Jungeun feels herself moving, one hand searching for a pencil in her bag as the other turns to a fresh page in her notebook. Graphite moving along the paper, her eyes bouncing between the sketch coming together in her notebook and the cause for her inspiration across the cafe, Jungeun doesn’t register the hand slowly invading her space until it snaps its fingers right in her face.

The tip of her pencil snaps and, with furrowed brows, Jungeun finds herself once again glaring at Haseul across from her. “You’re an asshole.”

“Better to be an asshole than a borderline stalker.”

Before Jungeun can even think of a response, the cafe's front door jingles gently, cool wind sweeping in thanks to the rain still pouring outside, but the jingle is easily covered up by a familiar voice yelling at the top of their lungs.

“Jungie! Haseulie! There you two are!”

Haseul takes her glasses off, setting them to the side as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “ _ Jesus _ , Jiwoo, do you have to yell every time.” It’s a pointed statement more than anything, her neck craning to get a better look at Jiwoo as the bubbly girl bounced over to them, completely oblivious to all the eyes she’d targeted their way.

“At least we’re not in the library this time?”

Neither Jungeun or Haseul could argue with that.

Moving her bag from the seat next to her for Jiwoo to sit, Jungeun looks at her, her expression a mixture of confusion and amusement. “Have you been looking for us? I told you this morning we were meeting up here to get some assignments done.”

“Did you think I was actually listening when you told me? That was at, like, the ass crack of dawn. I was sleeping.” Jiwoo waves her hands dismissively.

Jungeun narrows her eyes. “It was 10 in the morning and you told me you’d heard me before I left.”

“I probably said that because I didn’t want you to repeat yourself so I could go back to sleep, but nevermind that!” Jiwoo speaks quickly, voice rising with each word. Clasping her hands together, she twists her body to face Jungeun completely, Jiwoo speaks with the most serious tone Jungeun has  _ ever _ heard her use. “Jungie, I need you to do something for me.”

Casting a quick glance towards Haseul who only shakes her head, Jungeun sighs. “What...do you want?”

“Ok,  _ ok _ ,” bouncing lightly in her seat, Jiwoo leans in closer, causing Jungeun to lean back. Quickly, Jiwoo’s arms shoot out to take hold of Jungeun's shoulders tightly, holding her in place. “There’s a party Saturday night—”

“Nevermind, I’m not helping.”

“—and I heard a few rumors saying that Sooyoung is gonna be there because,  _ duh _ , she’s practically guaranteed to show up at every party—”

“I’m not helping. Haseul, tell her I’m not helping.”

“—and I figured, since you’re best friend in the whole wide world, who loves me, only wants the very best for me, and is so good with words, you could be my wingman! Wait, wingwoman?” Jiwoo’s brows furrow for a second before she sports her signature wide smile. “Yes, wingwoman! Be my wingwoman on Saturday?”

Jungeun has to physically pry Jiwoo’s hands from where they’re still gripping at her shoulder, a pout growing on her lips as she gives an exasperated sigh. “Why do  _ I _ have to be the one to talk you up? The only things I know about Sooyoung are what you swoon about,” Jungeun huffs, rubbing at her sore shoulders once Jiwoo finally let's go. She points to Haseul who’d been watching Jungeun’s mistreatment with a sadistic smile, work completely forgotten. “Seul’s the same year as Sooyoung, she probably knows her better than either of us.”

“I already asked her, but she’s already doing something on Saturday,” Jiwoo sports a lovestruck smile, hands coming to rest over her heart. “She and Vivi are celebrating their 3 year anniversary! Isn’t that so cute?”

Jungeun’s brows raise. “Damn, has it been 3 years already?” Tilting her head, she looks off into the distance, a wistful look in her eyes. “It feels like it was only yesterday you were having a mental breakdown over what to wear for your first date.”

“Get yourself a date first and  _ then  _ you can clown me, Kim.” Haseul shuts her laptop slowly, running a hand through her short hair to push it out of her eyes before pointing towards Jiwoo. “Just so you know, though, I wouldn’t have helped you even if it wasn’t such an important day, Ji. Parties aren’t my scene.”

Puffing her cheeks out in betrayed annoyance, Jiwoo turns back to Jungeun with even more determination than before. “See, Jungie? You’re my last hope!”

Slumping back in her chair, Jungeun takes a breath. “Even if I wanted to, I don’t even know if I can. I might be working Saturday night—” Cutting herself off, Jungeun feels panic start to rise. Feeling around for her phone, she looks between Haseul and Jiwoo. “ _ Shit _ , what time is it?”

Haseul looks down at the watch strapped to her wrist. “It’s almost 3.”

“Damnit, I’m late for work,” Jungeun grumbles, standing from her seat quickly, scrambling to collect her things and shove them in her backpack. Finding her phone in her sweater pocket, she feels her distress begin to climb. “Hyunjin sent me almost a dozen texts asking me why I’m late, she’s gonna annoy me for leaving her alone for so long.”

Watching Jungeun frantically put her things away, Jiwoo’s eyes land on the open notebook Jungeun had been drawing in before Jiwoo entered the cafe. Leaning in to get a better look, she reaches out to pull it closer curiously. Looking up to see Jungeun sending out a text, she points. “Hey, is this—”

“It’s nothing! Don’t—” cheeks bright red, Jungeun's hand slaps over the forgotten drawing, closing it quickly and shoving it in her bag with the last of her belongings. “—don’t pay attention to it. It’s nothing.”

Jungeun ignores the smug look on Haseuls face.

“I’ll let you know about Saturday when I get back home later, but I’m not making any promises. Don’t be too sad if I can’t.” Pushing in her chair, Jungeun gives one final rushed goodbye before turning towards the exit.

Another pair of eyes, round and clear, stop her in her tracks.

It’s not the first time she’s met Jinsoul's gaze, the two passing one another by every now and then as they went about their individual days on campus, but this felt different. More personal, deeper in a way Jungeun hadn’t known before. Maybe it was because, each time before, they were just quick, fleeting glances accompanied by polite smiles and places to be. This time, Jinsoul wasn’t smiling, simply staring with an expression Jungeun couldn’t read.

Had Jungeun ever made her feel like this before— like she was something on display, like she suddenly couldn’t breathe, fearful she’d crack if she so much as moved an inch?

Taking a stilted breath, Jungeun looks away bashfully, flushed cheeks prominent as she ducked her head and made her way towards the exit, Jinsouls eyes burned into her mind. Her hands clutch at the fronts doors handle, readying to sprint out into the rain, she’s halted by a sudden newscast playing off a small tv hanging behind the cafes front counter.

Listening, her stomach drops slightly.

“ _...This just in, police have just confirmed that a body has been found in the Seocho District. Details have yet to be released, but authorities suspect the cause to be yet another ghoul attack. While nothing is confirmed, proceed through the area with caution if you must. We’ll be providing updates as they’re released... _ ”

Jungeun would be taking a different route to work today.

••••

Jungeun was right to assume Hyunjin would give her hell for being late to work.

In reality, one would think working as a part-time receptionist for a fitness club wouldn’t be all that stressful— all Jungeun really ever had to do was answer the occasional call, help people sign up for memberships in order to meet a monthly quota, and give directions anytime someone had trouble finding a certain scheduled class or room. What made the job near insufferable was Hyunjin herself.

Despite having only met the younger girl a few months prior back when she’d first started working there, Jungeun had come to learn a lot about the way Hyunjin functioned. Where Jungeun liked to think she was patient to an extent, the younger girl was far more dramatic than her relaxed exterior might lead strangers to think.

Hyunjin was easy to bore, and whenever she was bored, she became annoying.

“Hey Kim, I never took you as the artsy type,” Hyunjin drones out, feet perched on their shared desk as she flipped through the contents of Jungeun's things— specifically, her notebook. Jungeun had only looked away for a second to file new membership papers and Hyunjin already had something to tease her with. “Who is this anyway? She looks familiar, but like, in a really badly drawn way.”

“Can you  _ shut up _ ,” reaching for the notebook, all Jungeun can do is whine as the younger girl stands, only to hold the book over her head cruelly. “Hyunjin!”

“Jump little monkey, amuse me,” Hyunjin's voice is as calm as ever, but the grin she wears only helps anger Jungeun even more. It’s just as Jungeun’s about to jump up to try and snatch the notebook for the fourth time that the front door opens, cool air seeping in, and just as quickly as she’d stood, Hyunjin is back in her seat looking calm and collected.

Jungeun huffs, tucking strands of hair that had gotten messed up with how much she’d been jumping behind her ears before fully turning to see whoever had walked in. Putting on her best customer service voice despite how out of breath she felt, Jungeun wears a small smile. “Hello, welcome to—”

For the second time that day, she gets lost in wide, dark eyes. Then, she blinks, remembering how Hyunjin is sitting next to her, most likely watching her with calculating, curious eyes. Jungeun does her best to snap out of it, clearing her throat lightly, but before she can speak up, she’s beaten to it.

“I didn’t know you worked here, uh...Jungeun, right?”

So, someone like  _ Jinsoul  _ knew her name.

“Yeah, I— I do,” Jungeun gives a small laugh, embarrassed by her own stuttering. Biting her bottom lip, she speaks without thinking. “Do you come here often?” Jungeun can hear Hyunjin stifling her laughter, something sounding like  _ Nice one, dude _ being lowly muttered under a fake cough. “I didn’t mean it like that! I just...I’ve worked here for a while and I’ve never seen you come in before…”

Jinsoul’s laugh breaks through the haze of awkwardness, tingling on the tips of Jungeun’s ears. “I’ve never been here before,” Jinsoul confirms, walking up to stand on the other side of the front desk instead of keeping planted near the entrance. Her dark hair is tied back in a low ponytail, different from how it been falling loosely around her early in the cafe. She was still wearing the same clothes, simple jeans, sneakers, and a cozy looking black sweater, but the duffle bag slung on her shoulder made Jungeun think she probably had a change of clothes. “I have some friends who come here sometimes, and since they like it, I figured I’d come and try it out for myself.”

Nodding her head lightly, Jungeun quickly wracks her brain for faces— people she’s ever remembered hanging around Jinsoul more than once. Not many come to mind, only various features for seconds at a time. Really thinking about it, Jinsoul rarely ever seemed to hang around a set group of people aside from one or two people Jungeun herself couldn’t recall.

“....Jungeun can show you around to the locker rooms if you want,” Jungeun hears Hyunjin speak, brows raising slightly as she turns her head from Jinsoul. Jaw clenched, she doesn’t interrupt, unsure if she should feel grateful towards Hyunjin for speaking for her, or hate her for providing a situation for Jungeun to embarrass herself even more than she thinks she already has. Hyunjin wears a plane grin, but her eyes twinkle in a way Jungeun’s come to find suspicious. “This place can get a little confusing sometimes, so she should show you at least this once, right?”

Jinsoul looks to Jungeun fully, an easy grin on her lips. “If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate that a lot.”

“I don’t mind,” Jungeun agrees a little too quickly, doing her best to pace herself as she walked out from behind the desk and making sure to step cleanly over Hyunjin’s outstretched leg, no doubt placed there to try and trip her. With a small gesture, Jinsoul follows beside her at a slow pace. They don’t speak, the air between them somewhat odd.

Jungeun doesn’t know if she should speak— if she should address what had happened earlier at the coffee shop. It was something weighing at the back of her mind, bugging her for reasons she couldn’t quite pinpoint. They’d never properly spoken, were far from being friends, but something about Jinsoul had always been a bit alluring.

As Jungeun opens her mouth, Jinsoul speaks up.

“Did you hear about the party happening Saturday night?” Jinsoul asks, glancing down at her from the side, a brow raised. Jungeun looks up at her, dazed. “Sorry, did I scare you?”

Jungeun shakes her head. “No! I mean,  _ no _ , you didn’t scare me,” she laughs lightly, arms raised and waving slightly in reassurance. “But, yes, I heard about it. I don’t know if you remember— you probably do because she was so loud— but my friend who came into the cafe earlier yelling, Jiwoo? She told me about it.”

“She seems fun to be around,” Jinsoul chuckles, slowing her pace a little. “Are you gonna go?”

In all honesty, no, Jungeun wasn’t planning on actually going at  _ all _ . Once she was home, she’d been planning on telling Jiwoo she had to pick up an extra shift that night for one reason or another.

“I was thinking about it. I haven’t been to a party in a while, so why not.” Jungeun shrugs, following after Jinsoul as they turn down the hallway, the locker room doors now in view. Jungeun bites the inside of her cheek. “Will you be there?”

“A...friend of mine is hosting it, so I’m sort of obligated to go, at least for a little bit.” As the two come to stop in front of the locker room doors, Jinsoul’s hand comes to rest on the handle, idle as she stood in place. “So, I guess I’ll see you there?”

When all Jungeun does is nod her head, Jinsoul smiles again, pushing through the double doors, and leaves Jungeun standing there all on her own.

The walk back to the front desk is quieter than she liked, a little colder without someone to walk with her, and in the deepest parts of her mind, something begins to nag at her. She has no idea what it is.

“Have fun?” Hyunjin drones out once she’s back to the front, still seated comfortably in her seat, now absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. “You took a while, did you get lost in her eyes?”

Jungeun frowns, but for once, it’s not because of Hyunjin.

Jungeun had barely paid any attention to where they’d been walking, mind more preoccupied with not making a fool out of herself as she and Jinsoul spoke. It had been like  _ Jinsoul  _ was leading  _ her _ , knowing exactly where she was headed.

“Also, that drawing does  _ not  _ do her justice at all.”

_ Now  _ Jungeun was frowning because of Hyunjin.

Giving Hyunjin a harsh pinch on her arm as she swept past her quickly, grabbing her phone and narrowly missing the punch thrown her way, one that would’ve definitely bruised her side had it connected, Jungeun calls Jiwoo.

Jiwoo picks up after the second ring.

“Hello?!” Jungeun has to hold her phone away from her face, ear ringing from how loud Jiwoo’s voice is, and Jungeun catches the chilling glare Hyunjin throws the device.

“Calm down, Ji,” Jungeun hushes, a hand on her hip. “I can go with you on Saturday.”

Jungeun hangs up just as Jiwoo begins to triumphantly shriek.

••••

In hindsight, Jungeun should have foreseen the night going to shit pretty quickly.

Discounting Jiwoo’s drunk unpredictability, the bubbly girl being a lightweight in every sense of the word save for her shocking and unfair physical strength, willingly subjecting herself to an apartment filled to the brim with other just as drunk, if not  _ more  _ drunk, college students was definitely not Jungeun’s idea of a fun time.

Huddled in one of the two bathrooms this once pristine home had to offer, Jungeun has time to regret every single choice she’s ever made that had led up to this very moment in her life, her knees aching against the tile floor as she held Jiwoo’s hair back, the poor girl unloading the contents of her stomach into a,  _ hopefully _ , somewhat clean toilet. Occasionally, a stilted sob would breakthrough, Jiwoo’s incoherent ramblings trying to take form, but they’d always end up getting cut off by another round of retching.

Jungeun frowns, rubbing a hand up and down the shivering girls back before she pulls out her phone from her back pocket.

It was 10 minutes shy of midnight.

Sighing, Jungeun leans closer to Jiwoo, glad to see she was finally breathing a little normally, forehead resting against the seat. “Hey, I’m gonna get you some water, ok? I’ll be back in a minute,” She waits for some sign that Jiwoo’s heard her, a small nod giving her the answer she needs. “Sit tight, don’t move.”

Rising to her feet, Jungeun takes a moment to look at herself in the mirror above the sink, taking in the slight sheen of sweat on her face, faded lipstick, and slightly messed up hair. This was why she hated college parties; even when she  _ wasn’t  _ fucked up, she still ended up  _ looking  _ like she was fucked up. Maneuvering through seas of warm, moving bodies, nursing a cup or two of whatever was at the makeshift bar in kitchen, essentially babysitting her best friend in her suddenly confusing quest to make sure she never remembered this night— of course, Jungeun was bound to look a bit roughed up by the end of the night.

Tucking her hair behind her ears so it’s out of her face, she decides that’s all that’s really needed. Anyone she’d be seeing by now wouldn’t care how presentable she looked anymore.

Slipping through the door, making sure to shut it on her way out to hopefully stop anyone else from trying to go in, Jungeun heads straight for the kitchen. Despite her focus, she still lets herself look around for a tall head of long black hair and bangs. Her search only ends with her feeling disappointment once again, lips pursed as she digs around for a water bottle.

Jungeun hadn’t seen Jinsoul at all during the few hours she and Jiwoo had been there.

While Jungeun didn’t want to get her hopes up over someone she barely knew, someone she’d only ever had one considerable conversation with, she couldn’t deny the anticipation of seeing Jinsoul again— of possibly getting more than just a few minutes of conversation in and actually learning things about her. The older woman was a mystery despite how bright she always seemed to be.

Jungeun wanted to know things about her that others didn’t.

Shoulders slumping as she closed the fridge door, cool water bottle in hand, it’s as Jungeun turns to make her way back to Jiwoo that she feels her side collide with someone.

Had it not been for the hand wrapped around her middle, giving her proper support, she was sure she would have tripped and fallen. Looking up, she’s met with the picture of perfection— tanned skin, full lips, a pretty silhouette outlined by a dress Jungeun thought she’d suffocate in, and eyes that seemed to suck her in the moment she looked into them. She felt underdressed in her black jeans and blouse. Jungeun has never actually seen Ha Sooyoung up so close and personal, her presence in Jungeun's life coming purely from the things Jiwoo likes to gush about, but she can clearly see why her friend had fallen so hard. The cold water still clutched between her fingers does well to keep her grounded, however, Jungeun’s mind registering the hand still holding into her and Jiwoo, still waiting for her on the bathroom floor, who she’d never want to hurt by ogling at someone she liked so much.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you..” she breathes out, stepping back from her saving grace. Holding up the water bottle, Jungeun backs up hesitantly, hoping she doesn’t come off as rude. “My friend needs this, so I should go.”

“Wait,” Sooyoung’s voice is smooth, assertive in the gentlest, most suggestive way, and it stops Jungeun from turning. She stands there, leaning against one of the fridge doors. “I saw you a few times, running around after your friend, but I don’t think I know your name.” She holds a hand out expectantly, and after a moment, Jungeun reaches out to grasp it. “I’m Sooyoung.”

Jungeun knows.

“Jungeun. The friend I came with is Jiwoo and she really needs me right now,” Jungeun tries to keep her tone from sounding as harsh or disinterested as possible, but really, she hates the thought of leaving Jiwoo alone longer than she absolutely needed to. “Maybe I’ll see you around?” She doesn’t know why she asks, the words slipping out before she can even think to stop them.

“Maybe.” Sooyoung regards her one final time, lips curving at the corners into a sly grin, and as she pushes herself off of the fridge to head back into the heart of the party, she nods her head towards the bathroom Jiwoo’s in. “Go on.”

Jungeun doesn’t need to be told twice. She practically sprints back to the bathroom, weaving through the occasional body or two before slipping through the door, happy to see bright fluorescent light despite how they strain her eyes. The sight of Jiwoo passed out along the tiled floor, still messy looking but far more peaceful than she’d been before, loosens some of the tension in Jungeun’s shoulders.

Crouching next to her, water bottle set down to the side, Jungeun reaches to nudge Jiwoo lightly, moving stray strands of hair stuck to her face out of the way. “Time to get up, Ji. We’re going home.” It doesn’t take much to coax Jiwoo awake, promises of cozy pajamas and her comfortable bed a far better alternative to staying on someone's cold bathroom floor with nothing but her party dress to keep her warm no matter how cute it was. “It’s not a very long walk, we’ll be there in no time.”

With Jiwoo’s arm slung over her shoulder and one of Jungeun's arms supporting her waist, weaving their way through the slowly thinning crowd of party-goers isn’t as difficult as Jungeun feared it would be. Even when she’s got Jiwoo leaning against the wall near the front door, helping Jiwoo get her jacket on before putting her own on, time seems to pass quickly. Her movements halt for a moment, however, a slight chill running down her back.

She feels like she’s got eyes on her.

Looking around quickly, Jungeun tries to scan the crowd, looking for anything out of place.

Sooyoung catches her eyes almost immediately, her taller frame already moving towards where Jungeun is, and Jungeun has to stop her heart from racing with nerves. Sooyoung is stood before her all too quickly. “I see why you were in such a rush earlier. Leaving?”

Jiwoo tugging on the front of her jacket has her tearing her attention from the taller woman, Jiwoo’s words slightly slurred. “Jungie...home, please.”

“Yeah, we’re gonna go in a minute,” Jungeun whispers, blinking rapidly.

“You weren’t going to walk, were you?” Sooyoung asks, a brow raised. When Jungeun doesn’t answer, Sooyoung frowns lightly. “You’re friend doesn’t seem like she’s in the best state to walk. It’s pretty late— do you have someone you can call to come get you?”

Jungeun bits her bottom lip lightly, brows furrowed. She  _ had  _ briefly thought of calling Haseul, but interrupting her on such an important day wasn’t something Jungeun wanted to do. Looking at Jiwoo, maybe she really didn’t have any other choice.

“I do have someone I can ask,” Jungeun starts, lips pursed. “It’s just really loud in here and I didn’t want to leave her alone just to take a call outside.”

Looking around, Sooyoung points towards a free chair away from where most people were. “If you want, you can set your friend there and go make the call. I’ll make sure she’s fine while you’re gone.”

Jungeun is silent for a moment. Sooyoung tilts her head, a grin passing over her lips. “The longer you stand there, the longer it’ll take for you two to get home.” Holding out an arm for Jungeun to pass Jiwoo over, Sooyoung waits. “She’ll be here when you get back.”

Jungeun sighs deeply. “Ok...I’ll be a couple of minutes.” Reluctantly, Jungeun lets Sooyoung take charge, watching as Jiwoo immediately leans into the older women's arms before making their way to sit down. Keeping her eyes on them for a second longer, Jungeun briskly walks out the front door.

Once outside, Jungeun feels like she can finally breathe. It’s cold, winters brisk chill still present, and with each breath she takes, Jungeun can see steam. She digs into her coat pocket quickly, searching for her phone.

She’s only just unlocked the device when Jungeun hears it. A whimper, shallow and pained, an almost silent plea for help. Even at its low volume, it sounds  _ so  _ close, and while Jungeun knows she shouldn’t, knows this technically isn’t something for her to get involved in, she also knows she won’t be able to sleep without at least checking to make sure she wasn’t leaving someone in apparent pain.

The alleyway leading to the side of the apartments she had just left made the most sense to check.

The phone still clutched in her hands, Jungeun walks towards the ally, peeking her head through slightly once she was close enough. It’s too dark, hardly any moonlight seeping in, but there’s just enough for her to see an outline. It’s faint, small even, a quivering frame hunched over, shaking as if wracked with a deadly cold, but that’s not what Jungeun focuses on.

It’s the sounds echoing off brick walls, wet, thick, and the smell of something musty, pungent. Jungeun’s eyes begin to water, irritated.

She steps closer. The tip of her shoe hits a stray stone, sending it forward.

Everything stills— the figure, hunched over, stops moving. Jungeun feels like she can’t breathe, bile in the back of her throat.

This is too familiar, she’s seen something like this before, heard sounds identical to this, smelled scents that wreaked of this same disgusting musk.

The figure begins to stand, slender legs and long, dark hair coming into full view. Jungeun pays no mind to the crumpled heap unmoving on the ground. She doesn’t want to acknowledge it, not yet— not with eyes she’s grown to remember staring at her down with panicked frenzy.

Jungeun blinks.

Jinsoul stands right in front of her.


End file.
